Undercover Tales

by Blayne Cooper

  Keilana looked truly sorry. “I’ll take a rain check on getting together, Billie. See you around soon?”

  “Oh yeah,” Billie rolled her eyes and sighed. “I’m not going anywhere. And if you change your mind about coming ’round to my place”—she batted her eyelashes—“not just tonight but anytime—”

  “I’ll call first,” Keilana assured her with a broad smile.

  Billie stood and smoothed down her microscopic skirt. “Good.” They hugged again. “That’ll give me time to get Josh to a sitter.”

  My eyebrows rose. Billie didn’t seem the mom type. Of course, Josh could be her poodle for all I knew.

  Soon Keilana and I were alone again. Things felt a little awkward, but it also felt like we’d turned a corner in our nascent relationship.

  “C’mon,” Keilana said, shocking me by standing up, grabbing my hand, and tugging me out of the booth. “Let’s go get this French lesson over with.”

  I looked back at the table as Keilana tossed a twenty-dollar bill onto the Formica. “But what about the food?”

  Her eyes met and fiercely held mine, though her voice was feather soft. “That’s not what I’m hungry for, Cadie.”

  My heart began to pound and I silently whimpered, praying she would stop looking at me that way ... never? Nooo ... That’s not right. She needed to stop looking at me before we got back to campus and our cottage. Where we’d be alone together. All naked and sweaty.

  Okay, that last part was just fantasy. But a woman cannot live on dreams of a water cooler alone!

  A slow smile swept across Keilana’s face.

  God, I hate my job.

  yx

  To my relief and disappointment, it turned out what Keilana was hungry for was chocolate. And we sat eating it, dressed in our pajamas, soft music playing in the background as I tried to decipher what she was saying. The lights were low and I found myself really relaxing for the first time since I moved in. It was nice. Keilana, when she wasn’t wary of my every move, was surprisingly easy to be around.

  She repositioned herself on the sofa by throwing one leg over the armrest. “C’mon, Cadie.”

  “I ... I’m trying.”

  She blew out a frustrated breath and rolled her eyes. “I know you can do this.”

  “It’s not like I don’t want to!” It was painfully clear that I was lost. I repeated the French phrase, stumbling over several words that I was sure I should be able to easily pronounce.

  She raised a suspicious eyebrow at me. “You don’t speak French at all, do you?”

  “Sure I do,” I said, a touch defensively. “Sort of.” I’ve always hated looking like an idiot and lately I did little else around my roommate.

  She nodded slowly. “Okay.” Then she plucked the book from my hands. “So make up your own sentence with more than four words in it.” She set my book on the table and snagged a Hershey’s Kiss from the candy bowl next to the book.

  My mind raced for a way to exit this situation without looking like an even bigger loser, but I came up completely blank. “I don’t wanna.” Oh, that was mature.

  She focused on the candy as she began to unwrap it. “I think you do.”

  I stared at her. It was either hate Keilana or do my best to like her as I stumbled through this job. Once I had made that decision to do my best to get along with her, I found that liking her was easier than I thought it would be. But God knows she didn’t always make it easy. “I’m not kidding. I can’t do this.”

  “You can.”

  Argh! Newman was back! “I can’t!”

  She popped the chocolate into her mouth. “You don’t seem the type of woman who believes in excuses. You can do this. You just need to—”

  “Fine!” I exploded. “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?” Oops, I hadn’t really meant to shout.

  She began to choke on her chocolate and I had to slap her on the back a few times to dislodge it from her throat. “Wh-what did you say?” Keilana spluttered, her face splotchy and red from her near-death experience.

  I knew it was stupid to care what she thought, but I did, and I covered my face with my hands, genuinely humiliated. “That’s all I can say!” I wailed.

  She tried to hold it for a few seconds, but she couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

  I narrowed my eyes at her. “It’s not that funny.”

  She tossed her own book on the coffee table and smothered her laughter when she saw the angry glint flare up in my eyes. “Cadie, Dr. Gallop’s class is the third in a series of classes that were all in French. The others were prerequisites for this one.”

  All I could think to say was, “Oh.” God, I’m brilliant sometimes.

  “Cadie,” she said softly, “why are you in that class at all if you can’t speak stinking French?”

  I’d expected her to tease me, not honest curiosity, and I blinked a few times as I adjusted to another case of mental whiplash.

  I wanted to say, “I can’t spy on you from Pottery 101 .” Instead, I opted for something safer. “My ... uh ... my folks picked my classes. I didn’t have much choice.”

  Her gaze darkened and she gave my leg a sympathetic pat. “That’s happened to me before. It sucks.”

  “Well, they’re paying for all this.” I gestured to our undeniably comfortable surroundings. “So I guess it’s not such a bad deal. If I don’t flunk out, I’ll have a degree when I’m finished and I won’t have any debt.” It had taken me several years to pay off my student loans for the measly amount of time I was in college. No degree and a pile of bills was not fun.

  “It’s not worth it,” she said flatly. “It’s only money.”

  I couldn’t help it, I sniggered.

  She sat up a little straighter. “What?”

  “Nothing.” She was glaring at me, but the fire in her eyes wasn’t as hot as it had been last week. Still, I could tell I wasn’t going to get off the hook until I gave her some sort of explanation for my comment. “Fine. It’s easy to say ‘it’s only money’ when you’ve never gone without. Not that I have,” I quickly added. It was so hard to remember that I was supposed to be her peer. I might have looked the part I was playing, but I sure as hell didn’t feel it. “I hear having to scrape to make ends meet can be really rough. I hear some kids live on Ramen noodles and Kool-Aid through college.”

  Keilana looked at me intently. “You’re wrong, you know. Just because I haven’t done without myself, doesn’t mean I don’t know the value of a dollar.” Her gaze intensified as she spoke. “I understand just how far people are willing to go to make ends meet and to survive.”

  My ears perked. “You do?”

  Somewhat reluctantly, she nodded. “Yeah. So don’t think just because my parents have money that I don’t know there’s a real world out there where everything isn’t as pretty and easy as this.”

  Ooo ... This was getting good. Talking to Keilana was like opening a can after the paper label had fallen off somewhere. I had no idea what I was going find when I finally pried off the lid.

  “You don’t see many students struggling here on campus.” I picked up a piece of candy, being sure not to look at her directly as I spoke. “Everyone looks pretty privileged. Not getting a new designer dress whenever you want one isn’t exactly what I’d call money troubles.” Take the bait ...

  “I’m not talking about the students here. I don’t know a single student who even has a real job. Most of us live on allowances and Mommy and Daddy’s credit cards.”

  “You don’t?”

  Suddenly she looked very uncomfortable.

  My digging was pretty blatant, but I was too close to quit now. Hmm ... I wonder ... “You don’t have to tell me, Keilana.” I gave her an apologetic look. “I didn’t mean to pry.”

  Her shoulders relaxed in obvious relief, the shuttered look on her face quickly evaporating. “I cut up the credit cards.”

  God, I’m a horrible, rotten, sneaky rat bastard. “Because they can track what you do with them?” I gues
sed.

  “Yeah. And the allowance ... well, let’s just say it gets put to better use than my buying expensive shoes and concert tickets.”

  “But how do you live? You need at least some cash for everyday things. Do you moonlight as a waitress or something?” I wadded up the silver foil candy wrapper and tossed it back into the bowl.

  “No. I-I-I ...”

  I looked up from my chocolate and waited. When she paused, I prompted her with a gentle, “Do you?”

  “Not exactly.” She glanced down. “Well, it’s nothing you’d be interested in. But I guess that maybe I could show you sometime.”

  Cha-Ching! I was doing “the wave” on the inside even as a part of me was praying she wasn’t going to take me to her meth lab where a truckload of illegal aliens were employed as her minion slaves. I forced myself to sound only mildly interested. “That’d be cool. How about we go now? It’s not that late.”

  She smiled enigmatically. “Not tonight.”

  Why the fuck not? “But—”

  “Tonight you have to learn some French.”

  I was dangerously near to pouting or crying. And I almost never cry. “But I don’t want to.”

  Keilana seemed to struggle with herself for several seconds before coming to some internal decision. “I have an idea. Stand up.” When I didn’t move quick enough she reached down and took my hand, tugging me to my feet. She was a lot stronger than she looked. “Okay, close your eyes.”

  “Why would I do that? I don’t want to cl—”

  Keilana put her hands on her hips. “For fuck’s sake, Cadie, can’t you just play along? You’re the one who asked for my help, remember?”

  My mouth clicked closed. I hated when she was right and I reminded myself that I really should do more to be a good sport. After all, if it hadn’t been for me, she and Billie would be probably be ... Well, I really didn’t want to think what she and Billie would be doing about now. But I was sure that moaning and the words “harder, baby!” would be involved.

  “Good,” Keilana said, suddenly smiling again. “Now close your eyes.”

  Dutifully, I did as she asked, turning my head to follow the soft sound of her bare feet on the floor as she moved behind me.

  “Let’s start easy. You answer in French.” Her voice was velvety soft and she was standing so close to my back that goose bumps broke out across my shoulders. Her breath caressed my skin, causing it to tingle. “What color are my eyes?”

  I sighed dreamily, hoping that it didn’t sound as dreamy to Keilana’s ears as it did to mine. “Beau bleu.”

  She chuckled softly. “Thank you. How about a whole sentence next time? Now what about yours?”

  “What about mine?”

  “En français, s’il vous plait!”

  I could hear the smile in her words as she mimicked Dr. Gallop.

  I chewed my lip as I tried to remember the word for what I wanted to say. I’d been studying for the past couple of weeks and bits and pieces were starting to come back to me. Too bad it wasn’t nearly enough. “Umm ... I think ... I mean ... Ils sont des boues.”

  “Tsk.” She tugged a curl of hair that fell just above my ear. “They’re not the color of mud. Vos yeux sont la couleur de caramel chaud ...”

  This close I could smell the subtle, spicy scent of her perfume, and it was wonderfully distracting. I swallowed hard. “Huh?”

  “Your eyes are the color of warm caramel,” she purred directly into my ear.

  “Yow!” I nearly jumped out of my skin. What the hell was she doing? “Keilana?” I squealed.

  “Shh. We’re not finished,” she said matter of factly, but she wrapped a firm arm around my waist to hold me in place. “Eyes closed and stay still, okay?”

  I was starting to get really turned on, but stupidly, I was more curious than cautious, and so I quickly nodded.

  She didn’t wait a single heartbeat before she molded her body to mine and rested her chin on my shoulder. Damn, that felt great. We were both wearing thin pajama tank tops and shorts, and I could feel her hard nipples pressing against my back and the sudden warmth of her naked thighs intimately touching mine. My heart began to thud wildly and my breathing quickened. But I did as she had asked, remaining stock still with my eyes closed tight.

  “What’s this?” She plucked at my hem of my shirt.

  I was surprised when I heard myself say, “Chemise.” The word had popped into my mind without thought.

  “Mm-hm. See? You know more than you think you do. And what about this?” Warm fingers circled my wrist.

  “Poignet.”

  “Very good. And now?” Her fingers moved to my palm and she gave it a little scratch.

  “I ...” My tongue felt thick in my throat. “I have n-n-no idea.”

  “C’est votre paume.”

  My heart was beating so loudly I could barely hear what she was saying. “Paume,” I agreed absently. “Ri-right.”

  She snuck her hand under my shirt and stroked my stomach with the tips of her fingers. I was sure she could feel the butterflies that were doing back flips there.

  “Uhmm ...”

  She pressed her cheek to mine. “Skin, Cadie. Soft skin. You know the words. Think.”

  But I couldn’t think! She was seducing me and I was letting her. And when she attached her lips to the back of my neck, I forgot how to breathe. This should not be happening. She’s too young for me. It wasn’t right, but it was so good! And she’s, she’s ... so damn sizzling hot my entire body aches for her!

  My knees nearly buckled and a low moan was torn from my chest when she used her teeth and tongue to stroke the length of my jugular. Her lips were so soft I melted under their attention. God, if only I could be myself. I would kiss her senseless! If only I wasn’t here to spy on her and lie to her and — Liar. Spy. The words were like having a bucket of ice water dumped on my head, and they snapped me out of my lust-induced haze with a near physical force.

  I spun around to face my tormentor, whose skin was flushed and whose eyes were dark with passion. Oh, God. I began to stumble backward, mortified that I hadn’t put a stop to things sooner. “We ... we shouldn’t do this.” I scrubbed my face. Fuck!

  “Why not?” Her face showed her hurt but she managed to keep her voice even. “Don’t tell me you don’t like girls. I know better.”

  My mouth worked for a few seconds. I wasn’t even out to my parents and here I was about to tell her? “Well, I do but—”

  “And don’t tell me you don’t want me.” Her eyes drilled into mine, and my temperature rose. “I’ve seen the way you watch me, Cadie. The way you look at me.”

  Lord, take me now. Please.

  “You want me. And I can tell you right now that I want you.” She lowered her voice. “Badly.” She took a step closer to me and I instantly took a step back.

  Even though I was the one being chased, I felt like the fox in the hen house. All right, so I was more snake than fox, but it was still clear that I couldn’t be trusted anywhere near her.

  “So what’s the problem?” She took another few steps forward, and I kept right on backing up until my back was against the wall, and we were standing toe to toe.

  “We’re roommates,” I said lamely, the chilly wall doing little to cool my ardor.

  Her eyes smiled. “I won’t hold that against you.”

  “You won’t?” I said weakly. “Are you sure? ’Cause you can if you want. I practically insist.”

  “We’re both available and interested.” She cocked her head to the side. “Why should we deny ourselves?”

  I marveled at her confidence. And why was she being so reasonable? She was the most unreasonable woman I’d ever met! The third day in the cottage I accidentally used her toothpaste and she threatened to set my bed on fire. Now she was being all mature?

  “We won’t be hurting anyone,” she continued.

  Relief flooded me. Thank God she’d finally hit on something that wasn’t true. We could both get hurt. “Lis
ten, Keilana,” I proceeded as carefully as I could. “If we sleep together and it doesn’t work out, I would be uncomfortable living here.”

  She looked unconvinced by my statement.

  “I’m too lazy to move!”

  That made her smile. “Cadie?”

  “If it doesn’t work out things would be ... tense.” Like they weren’t already.

  “If what doesn’t work out?”

  I gestured wildly and only just kept from pumping my hips for emphasis. “You know!”

  She gave me an incredulous look. “Are you saying sleeping with me might suck?”

  “No! Sleeping with you ...” I closed my eyes briefly in a bid for self-control. “I have no doubt that we’d be great in bed together.” Truer words were never spoken. We generated enough heat and tension on a daily basis to run a power plant. We’d barely touched and every nerve in my body was singing. I’d be lucky not to spontaneously combust if she actually kissed me.

  “Then I don’t get it. I like you, but I don’t want a girlfriend. I just want to have sex with you. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re both young, and healthy, and you’re hot enough to have me dripping wet already.”

  My jaw dropped and my pussy clenched so tightly I thought I might come on the spot.

  “So?”

  So let’s do it! I groaned. “I’m sorry, Keilana.” My eyes conveyed true regret. In fact, the rest of my body would probably never forgive me. “I can’t. “

  She lifted her jaw and stepped back. She didn’t say a word but I could tell that she was disappointed.

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be.” But her words were stiff.

  Keilana grabbed her car keys from the kitchen counter and slipped into a pair of sandals that were by the door. I didn’t want her to leave mad, not to mention in her pajamas. We’d made real progress in the last couple of weeks and I wasn’t about to throw that all away over a quick fuck. I blocked her path to the door.

  “Move,” she said crisply, visible holding back her emotions. “I mean it.”

  I wasn’t sure whether she was really angry, but I was sure that I had hurt her feelings by rejecting her. “Not until we talk some more.”